Smokers are finding a warm welcome at some South Florida casinos.

After being kicked out of restaurants, bars and even their own workplaces, smokers have gotten used to feeling unwanted.

But some places in South Florida want to welcome them again: casinos. On Thursday, Mardi Gras Casino will cut the ribbon on a smoker-friendly outdoor slots area, becoming the second venue to work around a state law.

Mardi Gras staff cleared out a patio near the dog track, added a flat-screen TV, ceiling fans and a canopy that can roll down in case of rain — but not so far down that it encloses the area and makes it subject to the Florida Clean Indoor Air Act.

Mardi Gras' move to attract smokers runs counter to how most of America treats them, said John Grochowski, a columnist for the Casino City Times who has gambled all over the world.

"Smokers have had to adapt to not smoking in offices, airplanes, theaters and convention centers. It's time to stop exempting casinos," Grochowski said.

He said he believes nonsmoking casinos can be successful "as long as the playing field is even — and a casino that allows smoking is not nearby."

In South Florida, that's not the case. The Seminole Tribe of Florida dominates the market, partially because it pays a lower tax rate and partially because its casinos are on sovereign land and not subject to Florida's anti-smoking regulations, said Michael Bloom, Mardi Gras marketing director. So Mardi Gras, in Hallandale Beach, is just trying to keep up with its competitors, he said.

"We all know there are a lot of gamblers who love to smoke, and we all know the Seminoles allow smoking," he said. "We are giving the customers who might not prefer to play at the Seminole casinos for whatever reason a good reason to play here."

Mardi Gras is the second South Florida casino to move slot machines outdoors to interest smokers. The Isle Casino and Racing in Pompano Beach placed four machines on a patio accessible through the casino's high-limit area in July. It is still evaluating the results.

Casino executives worldwide note that nonsmoking venues aren't as profitable as those that allow smoking. New Jersey legislators tried banning casino-smoking in 2007, and after business dropped 15 percent, lobbyists persuaded them to allow gamblers to light up again. Casinos in Illinois, Colorado and Delaware all reported drops in revenue after their states banned smoking.

Mardi Gras slot director Mike DeLuca Jr. said the new smoking area, called the Dog Pound, features a variety of machines, including nine that carry a 1-cent minimum and four lottery-type games, which go by the brand name Diamond Lotto. There are also a couple of older-fashioned games, with spinning reels and a handle for players to pull.

"We wanted to do it for regular players, because how can you beat being outside, having a cocktail and playing the slots?" DeLuca said.

He added that the dog-racing season at Mardi Gras begins Dec. 1, so players may hang out at the patio area even more and will have two avenues for betting, instead of just one.